Combination feed sizer and cutter



Dec. 8, 1936. J. sELMAN 2,053,404

COMBINATION FEED SIZER AND CUTTER Filed June 20, 1936 1N VENTOR. ehm/fz,

Patented Dec. 8. i936 2,063,404 CUIVMIINA'MN FEED @MER AND CUTTER .lohn l.. Selman, El Paso, Tex.

Application .lune 2li, 1936, Serial No. 86,369'

ii Claims.

My invention has relation to machines for reducing in size any character of feed material, in= cluding the by-products of cotton-seed, such as meal and cake, and for forming these and other products into small particles such as cubes or the like.

One of the principal objects of my invention is in forming these products into cubes to exclude excessive moisture from the cubes made from nely ground cake, as such moisture causes the cubes to sour and become worthless for feeding purposes. The machine is hence so constructed that these cubes are compressed in their formation and the excess moisture eliminated.

Another object of my invention is the provision in its construction for causing the material to be fed into the machine at both ends thereof where it is drawn to a common collecting point, thrown out by centrifugal force of the machine intoV a cylinder die and thence operated upon by cutting rollers as it is formed into the cubes.

With the foregoing. and other important ob` jects in view, my invention will be clearly understood from a perusal of thefollowing detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, and inthe drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the machine; l

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail sectional View with parts broken away;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view of Figure 2, taken on the line 3-3 thereof;

Figure 4 is an end elevational view of one of the roller cutters; and

Figure 5 is a', perspective view of two of the characteristic forms of the product of the machine.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, the machine has a framework comprising the supporting base I to which are bolted, welded, or otherwise secured thereto the legs or supports 2 and 3.

The machine is constructed in such a manner as to enable the feed to be introduced at each end thereof and therefore there are provided two hoppers 3a, and the material is thus carried to the center by the conveyors and delivered to the cylinder die, indicated generally at 6. Thus the conveyor blades 4 are carried on shaft l, while the conveyor blades 5 are carried on the shaft B. Similarly the blades 4 have a spiral movement from right to left, while the blades 5 move in a direction left to right, as willbe clearly understood by reference to Figure 2.

In the lower part of the framework supports 2 (CII. 10T- 3) nection with a belt II rotates the shaft 1I. The a shaft 8 also carries a pulley I5, connecting this pulley with a pulley I6 on the main drive shaft i by means of the belt Il.

Rotatably mounted in the inner side of each of the hoppers 3a is a hollow shaft It and this hol- 1o low shaft provides a liningfor the conveyor blades and through whichthe blades rotate in conveying the material into the cylinder die. To provide a more positive feeding effect of the material this hollow shaft I8 is made to rotate 15 in an opposite direction to that of the shafts I and 8-that is, while the latter shafts rotate to the right in the customary manner, the hollow shaft I8 rotates to the left. This is accomplished by the pulleys 2li and 2l in connection with the 20 crossed belt 22, and at the opposite side of the machine by the pulleys 23 and 2li and crossed belt 25. Shaft I8 has bearings 26 and 2l with oil cups 28 and 29.

TheY hollow shaft I8, as will be seen from Fig- 25 ures 2 and 3, has several elongated slots 30 at the point where this shaft passes through the cylinder die, for the purpose of permitting the material to be thrown out from the shaft into the die. A bar 30 holds the hoppers 3a n position 30 and in alinement with the shaft I8, this bar being bolted to the supports 2 and 3 as will be apparent from Figure l. I

As the material is fed into the machine at each end the conveyors deposit it in a cylinder die 35 through the saidslots Sd, where it is acted upon by the roller cutter shown in detail in Figure 3. The cylinder die is composed of the two hubs 3l with an opening for seating'the hubs on the hollow shaft I8 and each hub includes an an- 40 nular flange 32. Between these flanges and bolted as at 33a or otherwise secured thereto is the cylinder 33 of the cylinder die. This die is constructed of steel and is provided with spaced openings through its walls, as clearly shown in 45 Figures 2 and 3. 'Ihese openings are tapered outwardly from the inside of the cylinder as shown at 3d to about midway of the thickness of the die or cylinder wall and then the diameter is uniform to its delivery end 35. ylin this manner 5o the material is compressed when it enters the tapered entrance and further compressed as it reaches the uniform bore or delivery end of the opening. This is my preferred form of opening or aperture, although any character of outlet may 55 be placed or drilled in the die wall as preferred.

This cylinder die is rotated in the same direction (to the right) as the shafts 1 and 8, by means of the two sprocket gears 36 and 31 and chains 38 and 3S, as will be clear from Figures 1 and 2.

As the material is thrown by centrifugal force from the slotted portion of the hollow shaft I8 it is acted upon by the roller cutters previously referred to. One of these cutters is shown per se at Figure 4 and consists of the roller body 40 with an opening 4I whereby each roller cutter is rotatably mounted upon a shaft 42, each shaft being carried on a spider 43, the latter mounted on and rotating with the hollow shaft I8. The peripheries of these roller cutters are formed into the sharp, chilled steel knives 44, and thus cut the material and at the same time force it into the apertures, where it is forced out into the cubes 45 as illustrated in Figure 5.

In the operation of the machine, the material is fed into the hoppers 3a at each end, conveyed by the conveyor blades to the slotted openings 30a in the hollow shaft I8, where the centrifugal force of the machine throws the feedstuff out into the cylinder die. Here the knives 44, rotating around the inner peripheral wall of the cylinder, cut the materialand at the same time .force it through the openings in the cylinder die,

thus compressing the feed and forcing out excessive moisture therefrom. As the material is forced out a striker bar (not shown) cuts or breaks 01T the exuding material and it is thus made into the cube forms 45.

It is believed the foregoing explanation is sumcient without further description. My invention is not to be understood as limited to the precise construction here shown and described, as modifications and alterations may be made thereinwhich will be within the intent and purpose thereof and as covered in the claims appended hereto.

What I claim as new is:

1. A machine of the character described, comprising a framework supporting an elongated hollow member with conveyors rotatably mounted therein and communicating with a hopper at each end of the machine; means providing a common point of collection for the material thus conveyed inwardly, said means constituting a cylinder die with apertures formed therein, and cutting means carried in said cylinder whereby the material is cut and simultaneously forced through said apertures and delivered from the 55 machine into cubes or the like.

2. A machine of the character described comprising a framework supporting a revoluble hollow member, hoppers communicating therewith at each end thereof, separate conveyor means rotatably mounted within said hollow member, means for rotating said hollow member in one direction, means for rotating the conveyor means in an opposite direction, and including a cylinder die mounted on and rotatable on said hollow member.

3. A machine of the character described, comprising a conveyor shaft in two sections, a hollow rotatable shaft in which the two sections are rotatably mounted, hoppers at each end of the hollow shaft and opening therein, conveyor blades carried by each section of the conveyor shaft, one blade having a right-hand flight directional turning movement, and the other blade a left-hand flight directional turning movement, to convey the material to the center of the machine, including a cylinder with spaced apertures and means for simultaneously cutting, compressing and forcing the same through said apertures.

4. A machine of the character described, and as set out in claim 3, said cutting means comprising rollers with knives on their peripheries and carried by a spider form, said knives and rollers adapted to travel around and on the inner periphery of said cylinder.

5. A machine of the character described, and as defined in claim 3, said hollow shaft having slotted elongated openings at a point adjacent the inner ends of said sectional shaft to permit the material carried inwardly from each end of the machine to be thrown out centrifugally by the rotation of the hollow shaft.

6. A machine of the character described, comprising a framework, a hollow shaft rotatably mounted in the framework, with hoppers at each end thereof, a conveyor shaft in two parts, each part carrying blades whereby each blade conveys the material in a direction inwardly from each end of the machine to a common collection point of the material, means for rotating the hollow shaft, means for rotating the conveyor shafts; and including a cylinder die disposed centrally of the machine, said die comprising side plates with means for loosely mounting the plates on said hollow shaft, and a die plate with spaced apertures to complete the cylinder, said hollow shaft and conveyor shafts rotating in opposite directions, said cylinder die rotating in the same direction as the conveyor shafts.

JOHN L. SELMAN. 

